We are taking on an epic cycling challenge: Le Loop.
In July 2025, friends and Holiday Extras colleagues Ian Copley, Simon Hagger and Matt Paxton will be taking on the 2025 Tour de France route, riding the exact route taken on by the pros, a week in advance of the main Tour, otherwise known as 'Le Loop'.
Ian and Simon will be cycling the ‘Grand Depart’ covering 575 kilometres between Lille and Dunkerque, and Matt will be cycling the full three week Tour de France route, a total distance of 3,350 kilometres and 170,000 feet of elevation. To put that into context it is equivalent to cycling from Lands End to John O'Groats......and back again.......whilst at the same time going up Mount Everest six times!!
We will be raising money for the William Wates Memorial Trust. Since William's death during his gap year in Central America in 1996, his family have been striving to make a difference in his name. The William Wates Memorial Trust achieves this by identifying charities to which it can award grants, and invest in their vision to help the most disadvantaged, vulnerable young people keep away from a life of crime and violence, and fulfil their potential.
This will be a super tough challenge, involving months of training to fit in the hours and hours needed in the saddle to prepare for such long distances and elevations day after day. We will be funding all aspects of the trip ourselves, covering all travel, accommodation, food, drink, inner tubes, chamois cream, energy gels.… etc, etc! This means 100% of donations made will go directly to the William Wates Memorial Trust.
We would really appreciate your help and support in taking on this challenge, and contributing to an excellent cause.
With thanks
Matt, Simon & Ian
Thank you to our Sponsors
£1.2k
Stuart Irwin
£500
Pack Foundation
£300
Cripps Llp
Bon courage pour le Tour! From all of us at Cripps
£200
Mark Smith
Hope you have some fun even though it will be very tough. will be thinking of you. Mark
£150
John Barbieri
Top challenge, great cause. Good livk mate.👍
£108
Salome
Epic chaps. You got this 🚲💪. Very best of luck !
£106
Theo Zijlstra
Good luck guys! Brake a leg!!
£106
Meadia Consulting Ltd
£106
Mandy
I love you xxx
£106
Sean Hagger
This is mad! Go get em Tigers
£106
David Norris
£106
Rob Grigg
Amazing, all the best.
£106
Rob Pimenta
allez les rouge ynwa enjoy buddy !!
£106
Andy Britcliffe
A trio like no other!! Love you guys and ride well!! Pax - god speed for the full distance!! I hear pogacar is monitoring!!
£100
Nolan Hough
Best of luck guys!
£100
David Copley
Good luck
£100
Mark Bond
Good luck!
£100
Anonymous
£100
David Elms
Enjoy Le Loop!
£75
Dan Rowe
Clearly the madness has not diminished your motivation and this looks like it is going to happen! Very best of luck guys.
£54
Kevin Smart
Idiots
£53
Tom Mcgarry
£53
Damien Turner
There better be a beer at the end!
£53
Val Hayes
No better loopers I can think of to do this. Happy cycling.
£53
Cassie Goodwin
Good luck! 🚴🚴♂️🚴
£53
Miche & Ant
What an amazing challenge! Good luck to you all :)
£50
Hugh Chappell
Best of luck!
£50
Stephen Copley
Enjoy!
£27
Jackie Keep
All that dedicated training will pay off. Keep at it and good luck for the event x
£27
Katherine Bond
Good luck and have fun!
£27
Angela Carr
Good luck Ian! Amazing challenge and great cause. Angela
£27
Hugo Loudon
Go South East 17 💪
£27
Enas
£27
Elliott Crush & Stefanie Kennett
What an awesome way to spend the sabbatical Matt. Once in a lifetime opportunity!
£27
Daniel Senderowich
wish you all the best of luck amazing challenge. Will be thinking of you going up Col de la Loze
£25
Caroline Ridgwell
Dear Matt, sending lots of luck for your epic cycle, Callie and Mike x
£25
Kane
Amazing work you three. Good luck!
£25
Alistair Daly
£25
Ruairidh Roberts
£25
Neil Howes
You must be Loopy!! Good luck fellas
£22
Aussie Dave
Great effort gents! A fresh wisenbier awaits you at the finishing line.
£22
Sian Hodges
You guys are all amazing! Good luck xx
£22
Richard Hill
This is on another level, you are all incredible athletes and I look forward to hearing all about it!
£20
Esther Campbell
Good luck to Matt & team! Very excited by your achievement!
£20
Kim Skinner
Well done on all the training - enjoy the hills
£20
Tristan Macintyre-read
What a challenge! I've done the tour de France twice, however, that was in a car! Wishing all you the best for your epic adventure!
£11
Omar H. Ibrahim
I wish I could share more, but I just started a student job. Still, I promised Mum I would do this, and I am happy to keep that promise.
£5
Roger Murphy
Good luck Pax!
